Kelly Clarkson Reveals Why She Gave Song Away to One Direction + Dishes on New Album

Kelly Clarkson may be one of the hardest working singers in the business. In addition to climbing the charts with ‘Stronger,’ the ‘American Idol‘ alum is also serving as a coach on ‘Duets‘ and a sought-after songwriter. The ‘Dark Side’ singer even have one of her tracks to a little band named One Direction — and it wasn’t easy for her to part with it!

Clarkson told The Daily Star, “Giving away my songs is not something I do lightly. I’m very particular about that because my songs are like my babies,” she said. “If I wanted it done I can sing it myself. I’m such a writer’s snob,” she admits. “People have asked for songs and I’m like,’I can’t stand their voice, they’re not singing my song.’” So what made her swoon for 1D?

Kel donated the track ‘Tell Me a Lie’ to the U.K. sensations in part because of her connection to Simon Cowell, who oversaw the band on the U.K. ‘X Factor.’

“When Simon Cowell put me forward to write for One Direction I said, ‘Let me hear them first,’” she told the Star. “‘Tell Me A Lie’ is the cut I’ve got on 1D’s album as I like the story of them, how they came together as a group,” she said. “While I wrote the song for me, it didn’t fit in the current album as I never want an album to sound like one thought.”

Why does Clarkson heart 1D? “One Direction have worked so well in America as well as the U.K. because people love a story, plus they have this innocence about them that attracts people.” That and the fact that they’re adorable and super talented probably helps, too!

Clarkson also dished on the fact that her new record is already in the works. This Texan wastes no time! “We’re already working,” she told Wave 105 (quotes via Digital Spy). “I’m constantly like that because you never know when you’re going to find a song and so we’re always working on the next thing.”

One of her collaborators? Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins, which means you know it’s gonna be a hit. “He sent me an amazing song that I cannot wait for people to hear,” Kel gushed. “It’s gonna be on the next album.”